Tobacco stick pulling apparatus



Aug. 20, 1957 R. D. JOY 2,803,355

TOBACCO STICK PULLING APPARATUS filed Aug. 20, 1954 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. Raymond D. L/ y R. D. JOY 2,803,355 TOBACCO STICK PULLING APPARATUS 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Aug. 20, 1957 Filed Aug. 20. 1954 INVENTOR. Raymond 0. Joy BY Aug. 20, 1957 R. D. JOY

TOBACCO STICK PULLING APPARATUS 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Aug. 20, 1954 MW, Nu m m0 w w d n W o m, wdm $9 Q3 QN\ a. %.\L a u Q3 Nmv bm R &

Aug. 20, 1957 R. D. JOY

TOBACCO STICK PULLING APPARATUS 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Aug. 20, 1954 INV EN TOR.

yzm amuflwm Patented Aug. 20, 1957 TOBACCO STICK PULLING APPARATUS Raymond D. Joy, Brookneai, Va. Application August 20, 1954, Serial No. 451,095

4 Claims. (Cl. 214-55) This invention relates to an apparatus for facilitating the stripping of cured tobacco from a lath or stick on which it is supported and this application is an improvement on my pending application, Serial No. 307,445, filed September 2, 1952, and allowed March 17, 1954, now Patent No. 2,692,060.

Conventionally, bunches of tobacco leaves are cured by spacing said bunches longitudinally of a stick or lath, a single cord being looped at spaced intervals about the stems of bunches of tobacco leaves and the portions of the cord between the loops being Wound in successive convolutions about the stick or lath.

When the leaves have been properly cured, they must be removed from their associated stick, and heretofore, the operation has, in general, been carried out manually. It will be appreciated that this operation is somewhat tedious, particularly when a large number of sticks or laths are involved. In each instance, the cord must be cut at several locations along its length, to disengage the bunched tobacco leaves from the loops of the cord, after which the freed bunches must be suitably stacked, and the cut lengths of cord removed from the stick.

The main object of the present invention is to provide a self-contained, unitary apparatus adapted to cut the tobacco-engaging cord at the desired locations, stack the freed bunches of tobacco neatly, clean the cut lengths of cord from the stick and stack successive sticks ready for subsequent use.

Another object of the invention is to automatically perform the several operations set forth above, it being necessary only that the sticks or laths carrying the bunches of cured tobacco be fed manually into one end of the apparatus.

Another object is to deposit the freed bunches of tobacco in a neat stack beneath the machine.

Still another object is to hold taut the successive convolutions of the cord during the cutting thereof and to prevent the bunching of the convolutions at the cutting knives.

In the drawings:

Figure l is a top plan view of a lath or stick stripping apparatus embodying the features of the present invention;

Figure 2 is a side view of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary side view, showing a portion of the apparatus in section;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary enlarged transverse sectional view taken substantially on the line 4-4 of Figure 1;

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 55 of Figure 2;

Figure 6 is a side view of the machine taken on the side opposite Figure 2; and

Figure 7 is an enlarged fragmentary plan view of the forward end of the machine below the hold down unit.

Frame Referring to the drawings in detail, the reference numeral 10 has been applied generally, to designate a frame. It is proposed that this frame will be formed of flat iron and angle iron material throughout, the several portions of the frame being welded or otherwise fixedly connected to provide a suitably rigid, open framework adapted to support the movable parts of the apparatus.

In the illustrated embodiment of the invention, the frame 10 includes a pair of inclined front legs 12 (Fig. 2) ,f and a pair of vertically disposed rear legs 14. Referring to Figure l, the upper ends of the front and rear legs located at opposite sides of the frame are connected by outer side rails 16 extending longitudinally of the frame, each side rail being welded or otherwise fixedly secured, at its opposite ends, to a front leg 12 and a rear leg 14. A rear cross member 18 is rigid at its opposite ends with the rear ends of the side rails 16, and extends transversely of one end of the frame, a front cross member 20 being rigid at its opposite ends with the front ends of the side rails, and extending transversely of the frame in parallelism with the cross member 18.

Extending longitudinally of the frame, in spaced par' allel relation, are longitudinal brace members 22, said brace members being welded at their opposite ends to the respective cross members 18, 2! Longitudinal support bars 24 are secured adjacent their opposite ends to the cross members 13 and 20 and extend in spaced parallel relation therebetween in close proximity to the longitudinal center line of the frame. Carried by and extending forwardly from the front cross member 20 substantially midway between opposite ends thereof is an angle bracket 26, and carried by one of the support bars 24 and extending vertically upwardly therefrom adjacent the front cross member 26 is a fulcrum bracket 28. The support bars 24 are provided immediately to the rear of the fulcrum bracket 28 with vertical openings 33 and carried by the support bars 24 and extending upwardly therefrom aretubular guides 32 which register with the openings 30 to receive the standards of the hold down unit to be more fully hereinafter described. Carried by the support bars 24 and extending downwardly therefrom adjacent the outer sides thereof in substantially parallel relation to the legs 12 are supporting arms 34 for the tobacco transfer unit, to be more fully hereinafter described. As shown in Figure 2, these arms 34 are provided adjacent their lower ends with elongated longitudinally extending slots 36, the purpose of which will hereinafter appear. Mounted on the support bars and depending therefrom adjacent the outer sides thereof are longitudinally spaced bracket arms 38 in which are supported for rotation about horizontal axes idler rollers 40. A drive shaft 42 is journalled in a pair of similar bracket arms 44 adjacent the front cross member 20 and carries a drive roller 46. A traction belt 48 is trained over the idler rollers 40 and the drive roller 46 for movement in a horizontal closed path immediately to the rear of the angle bracket 26, and carried by the drive shaft adjacent one side of the frame 10 is a drive pulley 50.

Hold down unit In order to hold a stick or lath in frictional contact with the traction belt 48 and to prevent successive convolutions of cord from bunching on the stick before the cord severing knife, to be more fully hereinafter described, I employ a hold down unit designated generally 52. This hold down unit com-prises spaced parallel stems 54 which are mounted for vertical sliding movement in the guides 32 through the openings 315 in the support bars 24, and carried by the upper ends of the stems 54 are standards 56. An axle shaft 58 is carried by the standards 56 adjacent the upper ends thereof and extends transversely therebetween, and mounted on the axle shaft is a pulley 60 of relatively large diameter. A fork 62 is pivotally mounted on the axle shaft in straddling relation to the pulley and extends forwardly therefrom across the top of the fulcrum bracket 28 and carries a forwardly extending tubular'socket 64 into the forward end of which is inserted the threaded stem 66 carrying a fork 68 between which is mounted for rotation about an axle shaft 70 which lies parallel with the shaft 58 a pulley 72. An endless belt 74'is trained over the pulleys 60 and 72 and threadedly engaged with the threaded stem 66 and abutting the tubular socket 64 is an adjusting nut 76 by means of which the tension of the belt 74 may be regulated. Carried by and extending forwardly from the fork 68 adjacent the end thereof remote from the threaded stem 66 is a shoe 78 having an upwardly curved forward end 80 which serves to guide the shoe above the cords wound around the sticks or laths and binding the bunches of tobacco leaves 'tosaid sticks. The shoe 78 is provided adjacent opposite sides with rearwardly extending depending arms 82 upon which are detachably connected as by screws 84 downwardly and rearwardly extending knife blades 86 which, as the sticks or laths enter the machine, engage the looped portions of the cord to sever the loops from the spiral convolutions of the cord to free the tobacco bunches from the sticks. Suitable knife guards and bunch spreaders are carried by the shoe 78 and extend rearwardly and downwardly therefrom to cause the tobacco stems to move outwardly as the stick moves into the machine and place the loops of cord under tension as they engage the knives 86. These spreaders 90 cooperate with the lower spreader, to be more fully hereinafter described.

Lower bunch spreader and guards Carried by the bracket 26 and extending forwardly in alignment with the traction belt 48 is a supporting arm 94 carrying adjacent the end thereof remote from the bracket 26 a bunch spreader designated generally 96. This bunch spreader comprises a triangularly shaped plate 98 having its apex aligned with the longitudinal axis of the traction belt 48 and supporting arm 94. The forward end of the spreader is curved upwardly and thence downwardly to define a supporting pad 100 for engaging and supporting a tobacco stick or lath as it enters the machine. Spaced parallel guards 102 are carried by the plate 94 and extend rearwardly therefrom on opposite sides of the supporting arm 94 to prevent the bunches of tobacco leaves carried by the stick or lath from being injured by the knives to be more fully hereinafter described.

Tobacco bunch stacker Bolted as at 104 to the supporting arms 34 is a bunch stacker designated generally 106 comprising spaced parallel side bars 108 having elongated longitudinal slots 110 extending therethrough intermediate the ends thereof for the reception of the bolts 104 whichalso extends through the slots 46 in the arms 34 adjacent the lower ends thereof. Arms 112 are carried by the side bars 108 and extend inwardly therefrom intermediate the ends thereof. It is to be noted that the side bars 108 extend downwardly' and rearwardly from the upper forward end of the machine and carried at the upper forward ends of the side bars 108 are arms 112 which extend horizontally from the side bars 108 and carry brackets 114 which extend upwardly therefrom. Upwardly extending collars 116 are carried by the brackets 114 in axial alignment with vertical openings which extend therethrough, and ex tending through these openings and the collars 116 are shafts 118 carrying adjacent their upper endsstar'wheels which are adapted to grip the tobacco bundles as they are cut from the sticks or laths by the knives 86 and transfer them rearwardly of the machine. Drive pulleys 122 are carried by the vertical axes or shafts 118 and driving connection between the drive pulleys 122 and drive pulleys carried by the drive. shaft 42 is established through an endless belt 124.

Mounted for rotation about upwardly extending spindles 126 carried by the side rails 108-adjacent the upper ends thereof are idler pulleys 128 and extending upwardly from the arms 112 adjacent the adjacent ends thereof are spindles 130 upon which are mounted for rotation idler pulleys 132 which, as illustrated, are in wardly offset relative to the pulleys 120 so that the belts 134 which trained over the pulleys 126 and 132 converge as they recede from the pulleys 128 to grip the severed tobacco leaves received from the star wheels 120. Mounted in the side rails 108 and extending upwardly therefrom adjacent the lower ends thereof are drive shafts 136 carrying drive pulleys 133 over which the belts 134 are trained for movement about the axes of the spindles 130. Drive pulleys are carried by the shafts 136 for rotation therewith and trained over the drive pulleys 140 and over driving pulleys carried by the drive shaft 42 are endless belts'142 by means of which power is transmitted from the drive shaft 42 to the drive pulleys 140 and tobacco leaf gripping and transferring belts 134 to thus define a transfer mechanism by means of which the severed tobacco leaves are conveyed from the star wheels 120 to the floor beneath the machine and stacked, as suggested in Figure 2.

Cord cutting and removing eqzzipmnt V Mounted on the frame 10 adjacent one side thereof is a drive motor 144 having driving connection with the main drive shaft 42 through a speed reduction gear train 146 and drive pulley 148 over which is trained an endless belt 150 which extends around the drive pulley 50 of the guide shaft 42. It will thus be seen that when the prime mover 144 is set into operation, the drive shaft 42 will be driven to transmit rotary motion to the elements previously described. Carried by the drive shaft of the drive motor 144 adjacent the end thereof remote from the gear train 146 is the impeller 152 of a blower 154 to theintake opening of which is connected a duct 156, the intake end of which is connected to a nozzle 158 having outstanding eyes 160 through which extend the threaded stems 92. Suitable clamp nuts 162 are threadedly en-' gaged with the threaded stems 92 to adjustably support the nozzle 15% in a selected position above the upper side of a lath or stick passing through the machine. This nozzle is adapted to gather and collect the cut lengths of the spirally wound cord carried into the machine on the stick or lath.

Mounted for rocking movement about a transversely extending pivot pin 164 carried by the arm 94 are hookshaped knives 166 which are yieldingly held. in contact with the underside of a lath passing through the machine by a retractile coil spring 168 which is anchored at one end tothe bracket 26, while the opposite end engages a yoke 170 pivotally mounted on the 'pin 164 and having a cross bar 172 which bears on the undersides of the knives 166 to yieldingly urge the hooked ends thereof into the path of movement of successive convolutions of the cord C which'is wound about the stick S, as will be readily understood upon reference to Figures 3 and 4. Obviously, as the stick S moves through the machine, successive convolutions of the cord C will engage the knives 166 and due to the pressureof the hold down" belt 48 on the top side of the stick or lath S, the cord C will'be held taut as it engages the knives 166 and will be severed. By thus holding the convolutions of the cord C against the upper side of the stick or lath S, it will be evident that any bunching-of the convolutions along the stick and in front of the knives 166 will be eliminated. As the cut lengths of the cord C move with the hold down belt 48 and pass beyond the hold down device 52, they pass into the zone of influence of the suction nozzle 158 to be drawn thereinto and discharged through the duct 156 and fan 154 into a suitable receptacle (not shown).

Stick stacker As the laths or sticks S move off of the traction belt 48, they are transferred to a horizontally extending support 174 carried by the frame and extending outwardly therefrom in axial alignment with the traction belt 48. Carried by and extending downwardly and outwardly from one side of the support 174 are inclined guides 176 which serve to break the fall of the sticks or laths S as they are pushed ofl of the support 174 by a diagonal guide member 178 carried by the support 174 adjacent the end thereof remote from the frame 10. It will thus be seen that the sticks moving down the guideways 76 will land in a neat pile on the floor adjacent the lower ends of the guides 176.

Operation In use, it will be evident that tobacco sticks or laths S and having bunches of tobacco leaves L suspended therefrom by a cord C which is wound about the stick or lath S in successive convolutions and looped as at 1 about the stems of the tobacco leaves L is advanced into the machine, the bottom spreader 96 will be encountered substantially simultaneously with the top spreaders 90. Owing to the effort of the springs 55 on the standards 56, the axle shaft 58 will move downwardly to cause the undersides of the arms 62 to engage the top edges of the fulcrum brackets 28 to rock the tubular sockets 64 upwardly so that the hold down pulley 72 is moved upwardly to enable the stick to readily pass therebelow and engage the traction belt 48. As the stick moves into the machine under the influence of the traction belt 48, the hold down belt 74 is moved into contact with the stick or lath S and the large pulley 60 of the hold down unit 52 is elevated against the effort of the springs 55, to thus hold the lower run of the hold down belt 74 in yielding contact with the upper surface of the lath or stick. As previously explained, the side loops of the cords C carrying the bunches of tobacco leaves will be severed by the knives 86 to release the leaves and permit them to be engaged by the star wheels 120 which advance them into the space between the traction belts 134 to cause the leaves to be transferred from the sticks to the floor and neatly piled thereon, as suggested in Figure 2. The portions of the convolutions of the cord C which remain uncut by the knives 86 are clampingly engaged against the upper surfaces of the laths or sticks S by the hold down belt 74 and as the sticks move through the machine under the influence of the traction belt 48, the lower ends of the convolutions will be engaged by the knives 86 to be severed so that the cut portions of the cords C will hang loosely across the tops of the sticks or laths S and will be moved with the sticks or laths into the zone of influence of the nozzle 158 through which they are removed from the sticks and drawn into the duct 156. As the stick moves onto the support 174 under the influence of the traction belt 48, the end of the stick remote from the frame 16 encounters the guide 178 which moves the stick laterally off of the support 124 and cause it to fall down the guides 176 to produce a neat stack at the foot of the stick stacker.

While in the foregoing there has been shown and described the preferred embodiment of this invention, it is to be understood that minor changes in the details of construction, combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed is:

1. In a tobacco lath puller, a bunch spreader along which is advanced a lath onto opposite sides of which bunches of tobacco leaves are bound by a cord which is looped about the bunches and encircles the lath in successive spiral convolutions, a hold down unit mounted above the bunch spreader and extending rearwardly therefrom for engaging a lath moving along the bunch spreader and clamping successive convolutions of cord thereto, an upper bunch spreader carried by the hold down unit and extending rearwardly and outwardly therefrom in vertically spaced relation to the first mentioned bunch spreader, downwardly extending rearwardly diverging knives carried by the upper bunch spreader and extending into the path of movement of the loops to sever the cord and free the bunches of tobacco leaves from the lath.

2. The tobacco lath puller according to claim 1 which includes in addition, a knife carried by the lower bunch spreader and extending into the path of movement of the spiral convolutions for severing said convolutions, and a suction nozzle mounted adjacent the path of travel of the lath as it leaves the hold-down unit for collecting the severed lengths of cord from the lath.

3. The tobacco lath puller according to claim 1 which includes in addition endless belts mounted below the lower bunch spreader and extending downwardly and rearwardly therefrom for engaging opposite sides of the released bunches of tobacco and depositing them in an orderly pile beneath the machine.

4. The tobacco lath puller according to claim 1 which includes in addition a pair of spaced star wheels rotatable about vertical axes positioned below said lower bunch spreader and adjacent said knives for engaging the bunches and transferring them as released from the lath, and endless belts mounted below the lower bunch spreader and extending downwardly and rearwardly therefrom for engaging opposite sides of the transferred bunches and depositing them in an orderly pile beneath the machine.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,692,060 Joy Oct. 19, 1954 

